A new 4D immersive theatre experience has seen the biggest expansion of Hampshire’s award-winning Mary Rose at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard after it opened to visitors.
1982 – Dive the Mary Rose showcases the untold story of the finding, excavation, and recovery of Henry VIII’s favourite ship.
Giving visitors the chance to experience what it was like to dive the Mary Rose, the never-before-seen theatre experience explores the history of when the ship sank more than four centuries ago through to the present day.
Using 3D glasses and CGI, the new attraction tells the stories of all those who were instrumental in bringing it to the surface of The Solent, creating a lasting legacy marking the world’s largest underwater excavation and recovery.
On 11 October 1982, Henry VIII’s flagship emerged from the waves, and the ship’s remains – as well as fascinating collection of recovered artefacts – are displayed at the Mary Rose Museum at Portsmouth’s Historic Dockyard.
Celebrating the 40th anniversary in 2022 of the ship’s return to the surface, last year the Museum launched a ‘world first’ multi-sensory augmented reality game, Time Detectives: The Mystery of the Mary Rose, recreating the sights, sounds and even the smells of life on board the ship.
Now visitors can recreate the underwater world of the sunken ship by ‘diving’ on the wreck as it lay on the seabed off Portsmouth.
To create the new experience, the Mary Rose Trust has partnered with Figment Productions, a digital media production company renowned for its use of creative cutting-edge technology which has worked with the likes of the National Trust and Royal Opera House.
Both attractions add to the highly acclaimed 1545 – When their world ended, an audio-visual walk-through experience opened in 2021 that takes visitors through the history of the ship, including re-living the final moments as it sank.
The best value ticket to the Mary Rose Museum is the Ultimate Explorer, giving access to all attractions at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard for 12 months, with prices frozen for the second year in a row, starting at £39 per adult and £29 per child (https://maryrose.org/dive-4d).
Visitors can also retrace the footsteps of King Henry VIII, who watched from Southsea Castle as his flagship sank. Built in 1544, the Castle was part of a series of fortifications constructed by Henry around England’s coasts to protect the country from invaders. Visitors can explore the Castle’s keep and enjoy panoramic views from the top to the Isle of Wight (https://southseacastle.co.uk).
For tourist information about Hampshire see www.visit-hampshire.co.uk